Fontan procedure

The third and last of the staged congenital heart surgeries performed to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and other single ventricle heart defects is the Fontan procedure. It is usually performed between the ages of 18 months and three years.

About the Fontan Procedure

During a Fontan procedure, congenital heart surgeons reroute the blood flow from the lower body to the lungs by connecting the inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery. To accomplish this, surgeons will most often create a connecting channel, or tube, outside of the heart. Blood flow from the lower body now joins the connection made in the second, Glenn, procedure, in which the blood flow from the upper body was rerouted to the lungs. Once the blood is oxygen-enriched in the lungs, the heart's single, right ventricle drives it out to the body again.

Outstanding Fontan procedure outcomes

Children undergoing Fontan surgery are older and at less risk than when they were newborns facing open heart surgery, so survival rates are generally high – especially at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where they exceed 99 percent. Our program consistently outperforms when it comes to congenital heart surgery outcomes for even the most complex types of heart disease, as evaluated by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Learn more about our heart surgery outcomes.

Fontan Survivorship and Advanced Therapies Program

Our Fontan Survivorship Program was created specifically to care for children, adolescents, and adults with single ventricle heart disease, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Although survival and outcomes after the Fontan procedure have improved, some patients may develop health problems later in life. These “Fontan-associated” problems may impact not just the heart, but also other parts of the body such as the lungs, gastrointestinal system, liver, growth, and other aspects of the child’s health and development. Our Fontan Survivorship Program is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of experts trained to provide the best possible care for children and adults who have had the Fontan procedure.

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Nationally recognized

Among the nation's best

U.S. News & World Report has once again ranked the Herma Heart Institute at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin among the top programs in the nation for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery. This ranking reflects the excellent outcomes and care we provide for even the most complex heart conditions. Families travel from across the country, and even around the world, to receive care from our specialists who are experienced in treating congenital heart disease from before birth and into adulthood.